Skylight construction



Aug. 14, 1923.

J. SYLVAN SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21 1921 Patented Aug. 14,1923.

latene- Parent ensues.

JOSEPH SYLVAN, OF @HICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TU AMERICAN -3 -WAY LUJKFEEJ PRISM 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A GORIPORALJION 015' ILLINOIS.

SKYLIGHT consrauc'rron.

Application filed may 21, 1921. Serial No. 31,417.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrrr SYLVAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skylight Constructions; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in skylight construction, and consists of thematters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a skylight wherein the inclined panel sections are so connected to the ridge bar, that the ridge bar instead of the skylight curb walls, resists the outward sliding tendency or pull of said sections, due to their inclined position.

Another object of the invention is to so arrange and connect the trusses and braces of the framing, that they are reduced to a minimum, thereby materially lessening the cost of the skylight and increasing its eificiencv in the entrance of natural light.

0t or objects of the invention as well as the several advantages thereof, will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings Figure'l is a transverse vertical sectional view through a part of a skylight construction embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a new on an enlarged scale of arts shown at the top of Figure 1.

igure 3 is a perspective view of a clip embodied in my improved skylight construction, and which will be more specifically referred to later.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of a fragment of an eaves strip embodied in the improved skylight construction.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through one. end of the skyli ht, taken on the lines 5--5 of Figure 1.

igures 6 and 7 are views on an enlarged scale, of parts shown in Figure-,1, and which will be more specifically referred to later.

Figure 8 is a vertical detail sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of another chp embodied in my improved skylight construction, which will be more specifically referred to later.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanylng drawings :10 indicates a part of a building roof having a skylight opening 11, which is defined by upright side and end curb walls 12 and 13 respectively. Resting upon the curb walls, is the structural framework of the skylight which, when the skylight is of a great length, includes not only end trusses 14, but also such intermediate trusses 15 as are necessary to sustain the weight of the skylight. Only one of each of said trusses is shown in Figure 5. The end trusses 14: rest throughout their length upon, and are secured to, the end curb walls 13, while the intermediate trusses 15 span the skylight opening 11, and rest at their ends upon, and are anchored to, the side curb walls 12. As the trusses 14: and 15 are substantially alike, a detailed description of one will sutlice.

Each truss includes a bottom, horizontal, transversely extending angle bar 16, which is secured to the curb walls, and an upright standard 17 in the form of a channel bar which rises from the angle bar in the median plane of the skylight opening. A truss bar 18, is secured to each upright standard at a point spaced a suitable distance above the angle bar 16, the ends of the truss bar being inclined downwardly and outwardly, and secured to the angle bar 16 near its ends. Brace bars 19 are provided which connect the truss bar 18 with that art of the angle bar 16 near the standard 1 The top ends of the standards 17 of the end and intermediate trusses 14 and 15, are connected by a ridge bar 20, preferably in the form of a channel bar, the flanges 21 of which are directed upwardly. To more rigidly secure the standards and ridge bar together, I provide angularly disposed brace'bars 22, which are fixed at their ends to the standards and to the ridge bar respectively. The brace bars 22 resist the downward flexing of the ridge bar, and being arranged in the plane of the ridge bar and standards, do not lit) act to exclude light through the skylight,

nor do they act to cast shadows.

23 indicates longitudinally extend ng stringers, arranged intermediate the ridge 24 directed downwardly and outwardly.

Tie rods 25 are provided, which are secured at their ends to the stringers 23, and are secured at their middles which are flattened out, to the underside of the ridge bar 20 in a manner to appear later. Preferably I' arrange one tie rod intermediate the trusses, but this number may be increased if desired. The construction just described provides a strong and rigid, yet comparatively lightweight structural t'raming for the skylight, that will readily withstand and bear the Weight of the panel sections which now will be described.

26, 27, indicate as a whole (see Figure 1) the top (or inner) and bottom (or outer) panel sections of the skylight, there being a pair of these sections on each side of the ridge bar. The top sections rest upon, and are supported by, the ridge bar 20 and the stringers 23, and the bottom sections rest upon and are supported by said stringers and the side curb walls 12. The top sections 26 have a hooked engagement with the ridge bar, which resists the downward and outward sliding tendency ofthe said sections, while the bottom sections 27 have a similar hooked engagement with the stringers 23, which resist the downward and outward sliding tendency thereof.

The panel sections 26, 27, include a plurality of transversely extending, longitudinally spaced, inclined glazing bars 28, which are secured at their ends to longitudinally extending, top and bottom angle bars 29 and 30, and 29 and 30 respectively, there being one pair of angle bars for each section. Preferablysaid angle bars are oppositely faced, with the ends of the glazing bars secured to the top surfaces of the flanges 31 thereof. The glazing bars 28 are of inverted, T-shaped cross section, and each bar has a steel core with alead covering (see Figure 8). Each bar includes an upright web 32 and oppositely disposed horizontal flanges 33 that terminate in bendable leaders 33, upon which the lateral margins of the glass panels 34 rest. The leaders readily bend or flex to accommodate themselves to any uneveness or waves in thelateralmargins'of the panels which rest upon them, and also act to lead or conduct such water of condensation as collects upon them. toward the outer ends of the glazing bar. The glass panels are secured in place to the glazing ar by capping strips 35 or bendable sheet metal, such as sheet lead, and in the top surface of theflanges 33 of the glazing bars, are grooves 36-, providing'gutters for the outward discharge of such water as drips from the margins of the panels. The flanges 31 of the angle bars 29, have hooked engagement with the upright flanges 21 of the ridge bar, and to removably secure them in place, I rovide clips 37 (see Figures 2 and 3) whic 1 are bolted to the ridge bar 20. Each clip has upwardly and outwardly disposed arms 38, which are connected at their bottom ends by an apertured web 39, and which-terminate at their top ends in outwardly facing hooks 40. The arms 38 engage the flanges 31 of the angle bars, while the hooks 40 overhang the flanges 31 thereof, a bolt 41 passing through the web 39 and through the web of the ridge bar. Prefer ably, I so space said clips that .the bolts 41 may also be used to secure the top ends of the braces 22 and the flattened middle parts of the tie rods 25 to the ridge bar 20.

The top ends of theglass panels of the top sections 26 project beyond the top ends of the associated glazing bars 28, and extend into outwardly facing grooves 42, formed in the sides of a ridge cap or strip 43, the top walls of'which extend in planes parallel to the panel sections. The lateral margins of the ridge strip engage upon the top surfaces of the angle bars 29, and are-locked in place to said bars by the hooked ends 40 of the clips 37, as shown in Figure 2. Preferably, the ridge strip43 is enclosed or covered by a cap strip of noncorrosive sheet metal 44, such as sheet lead, the margins of which are folded upon-themselves so as to be tucked in between fixed parts of the ridge strip and the ends of the glass anels, the margins then extending outward y to overlap the top ends of the glazing bars and provide a water tight joint at the ridge or'peak of the skylight.

To the angle bars 30 at the outer ends of the top panel sections 26, are secured eaves strips 45. These strips include a hooked marginal part 46, which engages the flanges 31 of the angle bars 30, two stepped, stop shoulder flanges 47, 48, against which the ends of the glazing bars and panels respectively engage, and a depending web part 49, which terminates in an inturned flange 50, spaced from the hooked flange 46. Preferably I apply a sealing strip of sheet lead 51 upon the top surface of the flange 31 of the angle bar 30, which is tucked in at one margin between the angle bar and the hooked flange 46 of the eaves strip and overlaps at its other margin, the top margins'of the panels of the bottom section 27. In the web part 47 of the eaves strip, I provide elongated openings 47 x which are spaced at distances equal to the longitudinal spacing of the glazing bars. These openings which are in register with the said glazing bars,

are of a width greater than said bars, so as to extend beyond the sides thereof,,as shown in Figure 8. Thus, such water of condensation as trickles down the grooves 36 of the glazing bars, is free to pass through the The substantially upright flanges of the bottom angle bars 30, rests upon the substantially horizontal flange of the top angle bars 29 of the bottom panel section, the vertical flange of which has a hooked engagement with the stringer channel 23. '1 1e angle bars 29 and 30 and the stringers 23, are held or secured together bylongitudinally spaced clips 52 (see Figures 6 and 9). Said clips each comprise a bottom hook flange 53, which hooks upon the bottom flange 24 of the stringer channel and an upright web part 54, which terminates in an outwardly bent flange 55, that engages beneath the hook flange 46 of the eaves strip 45, rivets or bolts passing through the angle bars 30, the lead sealing strips 51, the hook flanges 46 of the eaves strip, and thebent flanges 55 of the clips (see Figure 6).

The outer angle bar 30 of the bottom panel section, rests upon the outer marginal corner of the curb side walls 12, and is secured in place thereon by an le clips 56 which are bolted to the curb .wa ls 12 by expansion bolts 57 (see Figure 7). To the angle bars 30 are secured eaves strips 45 which are identical in every way with the eaves strip 45 before described. The hooked flange 46* of each eaves strip piece 45*, engages the horizontal flange of the angle bar 30, while its stepped shoulder flanges 47, 48*, provide end stops for the panels 34, and glazing bars 28 of thebottom section. Sealing strips 60 of sheet lead are provided for the angle bars 30 which are secured in place in the same manner as the sealing strips 51, the outer marginal parts of the sealing strips being bent downwardly to engage the flashing strips 12. on the exposed sides of the curb walls. The same kind of outlet openings 47 are provided in the eaves strips 45 for the discharge of the water of condensation from the under side of the bottom panel sections 27.

To the end trusses 14, are secured the end walls 61 of the skylight, which end walls are of a shape corresponding to the cross section of the skylight. The said walls are arranged flush with the outer surface of the associated, curb wall 13, and suitable sealor breaking any of the panels. Furthermore, all parts may be cut and fitted inthe shop, and may be easily and quickly assembled upon the job.

he eaves strips provide for an efficient drain and discharge of water of condensation, and at the same time prevent the entrance of drafts through the skylight into the building room beneath the same by reason of the deflector flanges 50, 50.

Since the outward gravity pull of the panel sections due to their weight and inclined position is taken up in the case of the top sections, by the ridge bar, and in the case of the bottom sections, by the intermediate stringers, it is possible to use light sheet metal eaves strips for the outer ends of a said panels, instead of the heavy clips heretofore used to resist the outward pull or movement of the panel sections.

lVhile in describing my invention l have referred to certain details of mechanical construction, form and arrangement of parts, I do not wish to be limited thereto except as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In a skylight construction, the combination of vertical frame members, a longitudinally extending ridge bar supported on the top ends of said vertical frame members, and outwardly and downwardly inclined panel sections having a hooked connection with the ridge bar, which resists the outward sliding tendency of said sections, due to their inclined position.

2. In a. skylight construction, the combination ofvertical frame members, a longitudinally extending ridge bar supported on the top ends of said vertical frame members, panel sections outwardly and downwardly inclined from the ridge bar, and means on the top ends of said panel sections having a hooked connection with the ridge bar to resist the outward sliding tendency of said sections due to their inclination.

3. In a skylightconstruction, the combination of vertical frame members, a longitudinally extending ridge bar supported on the top ends of said vertical frame members, panel sections outwardly and downwardly inclined from the ridge bar, members on the top ends of the panel sections having a hooked connection with said ridge bar to resistthe outward sliding tendency of the panel sections due to their inclination, and

means clamping said members to said ridge facing flanges, supported on the top ends of said vertical frame members, panel sections outwardly and downwardly inclined from the ridge bar, members on the top endsof the panel sections having a hooked connection with the flanges of the ridge bar to resist the outward sliding tendency of the panel sections, clamping means overlapping the members on the top ends of the panel sections, and means securing the clamping means to the ridge bar.

5. In a skylight construction, the combination of vertical frame members, a longitudinally extending ridge bar having upwardly facing flanges supported on the top ends of said vertical frame members, panel sections outwardly and downwardly inclined from the ridge bar, angle bars on the top ends of the panel sections, each angle bar having a downwardly facing flange which hooks over the upwardly facing flanges of the ridge bar, clamping members spaced longitudinally of the ridge bar and having ends which overhang the angle bars on the panel sections, and bolts passing through the middle parts of said clamps and ridge bar to draw said clamping members into tight engagement with the said angle bars.

6. In ,a skylight construction, the combination 6f vertical frame members, a longitudinally extending ridge bar having upwardly facing flanges supported on the top ends of said vertical frame members, panel sections outwardly and downwardly inclined from the ridge bar. members on the top ends of the panel set-tions having a hooked connection with the flanges of the ridge bar to resist the outward sliding tendency of the panel sections, a ridge cap strip overhanging the top ends of said panel sections, and clamping members spaced longitudinally of the ridge bar and having ends which overhang the members on sai panel sections, the margins of said ridge cap strip being interposed between said members on the panel sections and the ends of said clamping members, and bolts passing through the middle parts of said clampingmembers and ridge bar to draw said clamping members into tight engagement with the ridge strip margins and said hook members on the panel sections.

7. A skylight construction comprising in combination with curb walls defining a skylight opening, transversely disposel framing trusses resting upon said curb walls, each in cluding a centrally arranged upright standard, a ridge bar supported on the top ends of said standards, panel secin hoIding the bottom angle bars to said curb walls.

8. A skylight construction comprising in combination with curb walls defining a skylight opening, transversely disposed framing trusses resting upon said curb walls, each'ineluding a centrally arranged upright standard, a ridge bar supported on the top ends of said standards, panel sections outwardly and downwardly inclined from the ridge bar, longitudinally extendingangle bars at the top and bottom ends of said panel sec-- tions, the topangle bars having a hooked connection with the ridge bar which resists the; outward sliding tendency of said panel sections due to their inclination, and the bottom angle bars restin upon the side curb Walls, clamping mem ers secured to said curb walls for holding the bottom angle bar thereto, and an eaves strip secured to one of said angle bars, said eaves strip including stop shoulders for the panels, and having openings below said stop shoulders for the escape of the water of condensation from the under side of said panel sections.

9. A skylight construction comprising in combination with curb .walls defining a skylight opening, transversely disposed framing trusses resting upon said curb walls, each truss including a centrally arranged upright-standard, a ridge bar supported on the top ends of said standards, longitudinally extending stringers fixed to said trusses intermediate said curb walls and upright standards, and a plurality of downwardly and outwardly inclined panel sections arranged on each side of the ridge bar, the to ends of said anel sections having a hooke connection with said rid ebar and stringers respectively, to resist t e outward sliding tendency of said panel sections due to their inclination.

10. A skylight construction comprisin in combination-with curb .walls defining a s ylight opening, transversely disposed trusses resting upon said curb walls, each truss including a centrally arranged upright standard, a ridge bar supported on the top ends of said standards, lon itudinally extending stringers fixed to sai trusses intermediate said curb walls and u right standards, tie bars connecting the stringers and ridge bar together, and a plurality of downwardly and outwardly inclined panel sections arranged on each side of the'ridge bar, the

mega/ea ard, a ridge bar supported on the top ends of said standards, longitudinally extending stringers fixed to said trusses intermediate the'curb walls and ridge bar, a plurality of downwardly and outwardly inclined panel sections arranged on each side of the ridge bar, angle bars on the innerand outer ends of said panel sections, the angle bars at the top inner ends of said sections having a hooked connection with said ridge bar and stringersrespectively, the angle bars at the bottom outer ends of the top sections resting upon the angle bars at the top inner end of the bottom sections, and the angle bars at the bottom outer ends of the bottom sections resting on said curb walls, eaves strips which include panel stop shoulders secured to said angle bars at the bottom outer ends of both otsaid sections, and means for anchoring the angle bars at the outer ends of the bottom sections to said curb Walls.

12. A skylight construction comprising in combination with curb walls defining a sky" light opening, transversely disposed trusses resting upon said curb walls, each truss including a centrally arranged upright standard, a ridge bar supported on the top ends of said standards, longitudinally extending stringers fixed to said trusses intermediate the curb walls and ridge bar, a plurality of downwardly and outwardly inclined panel sections arranged on each side of the ridge bar, angle bars on the inner and outer ends of said panel sections, the angle bars at the top inner ends of said sections having a hooked connection with said ridge bar and stringers respectively, the angle bars at the bottom outer ends of the top sections restin upon the angle bars at the top inner ends 0 the bottom sections, clip members securing the outer angle bars of the top sections to said stringers, and clamps anchored to said curb walls for clamping the outer angle bars of the bottom sections to said curb walls.

' 13. A skylight framing construction comprising transversely extending trusses each including centrally arranged upright standards, a longitudinal ridge bar supported on the top ends of said standards, longitudinal stringers supported on said trusses, on each side but below said ridge bar, inclined brace bars in the planes of said ridge bar connecting said ridge bar with the standards, and transverse tie rods intermediate the standards connecting said stringers to said ridge bar.-

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, it afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 12th day oil April, A. n. 1921.

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